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by ftruzzi 1990 days ago
My team got laid off a few months ago and after experiencing remote working this is the only kind of work arrangement I'd be happy to apply for. 40hrs a week of remote working does not allow for a lot of freedom, ~20hrs sounds amazing.

Really hope more companies start to adopt this.
1 comments
AnIdiotOnTheNet 1990 days ago
Personally, unless there is some clear and dramatic advantage to a scheme like this, or it is enforced by law or collective bargaining pressure, I think it is unlikely to ever happen.

I hold this belief because I am now convinced that too many agents within companies care less about profit and success than they do about straight-up owning people. Forcing people to spend their time at work is as close to actual slavery as contemporary society allows, so that's what they do.

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ftruzzi 1990 days ago
> Forcing people to spend their time at work is as close to actual slavery as contemporary society allows, so that's what they do.

I completely agree with this, but I'm not sure this is necessarily beneficial for companies (compared to potential alternatives). In the end, the quality of their products benefits from happier employees, whatever "happier employees" means.

When I switched jobs from contracting at a FAANG to working for a worse company it was mostly due to bad mood in general. The job wasn't interesting anymore and I would feel like a well-paid slave. It felt like everything, including the house I was living in, was tied to or revolving around my job. It felt like I didn't have anything, except the job and what came with it.

Had they offered a part-time option with half the money or so, I probably would have stayed and started making the steps I'm making now as unemployed towards improving myself (more physical activity, side projects, volunteering, working on my mental health)

It doesn't have to be all the companies though, it can just be a few and then a few more. Gitlab and now Gumtree definitely stand out to me as one of the very few companies I'd be happy to work with and that's because of their approach to work.

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